College and the City

June 9, 2011

by Anna Meskishvili

I knew well before I sent in my first Common App that I would find myself in a city for college. I needed the noise and commotion of a world much different than suburban Connecticut. As you know, I found my niche in Boston but there are some key things you need to know about city-school life:

Money. From museums to vintage boutiques to restaurants, there are limitless activities in a city but everything requires a pretty penny. Be sure to scope out all college discounts (ex., any BU student can go to the Museum of Fine Arts for free) and review sites like Groupon, Living Social and Privy before dishing out the dough.

Transportation. Get used to the fact that you won’t see the inside of a car for the time that you are attending school. In Boston, we use the subway system called the T. There’s even a T line that runs right through BU, making it simple to hop on on campus and hop off at any point in town. I recommend getting a semester pass – they seem pricy at first but they cost the same as 20 rides – and you’ll have more opportunities to explore the city with this unlimited option.

Security. You are in a city, not in Bumsville, MiddleOfNowhere. There are real threats, especially after dark and especially for girls. I would invest in pepper spray, or at least enough common sense to not walk alone past midnight. City or country, all campuses have Emergency Blue Light systems so find out where they are just in case.

Living in a city - on campus or off - has been fantastic! There is a never a dull evening – you even run into your fair share of celebrities like David Beckham, who was in town recently! – and with the proper precautions, a city can be as safe and accessible as you want it to be.

Anna Meskishvili is a rising senior at Boston University pursuing a degree in public relations at the College of Communication and hopes to someday work in healthcare administration communication. She is part of Kappa Delta at BU and has loved every second of it. She is also involved in Public Relations Student Society of America and Ed on Campus. Anna was born in the Republic of Georgia and considers herself a citizen of the world because she’s lived in Russia, England, France, Brooklyn and Connecticut. She loves to travel, run and learn.

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